A/N: I HATE the fact that people who aren't "popular" are ridiculed. It just isn't fair, and it irritates me to such an extent that I decided to write this essay, to let these people know that it isn't worth changing yourself to make yourself popular.

Everywhere you go, you'll see mass hysteria. Something *everybody* believes in, something *everybody* wears or eats or likes or dislikes. The list goes on and on.

The truth is, *everybody* does this. Everybody but a precious few who break loose. These people are ridiculed, sometimes to wit's end. Called "nerds", "geeks", "dorks", and many other, often more impolite variations. If you're one of these precious few, pat yourself on the back.

In schools, there's one thing *everybody* likes: to be popular. That's not true. In fact, some people recognize the fact that popularity will never get you anywhere. At all. The best you'll become is some stuck-up, unaccomplished celebrity. Not that all celebrities are bad; it's just that some of them are. These are the people you'd call popular if they were in your class.

This mass hysteria is fueled by these popular people, who ignore everyone else, basically. Although this is not always the case; sometimes, there's someone who's popular because they have an extremely likeable personality and good charisma, the kind of person you'd generally trust in everything. These people do exist, but they're rare. I prefer to call them well-liked.

Mass hysteria is held together by glue, a strong glue that's very hard to break loose of. The only way to remove this adhesive from yourself is to see through it. Something that's very hard to do, unfortunately. The few people who can see through it and know exactly what's right and wrong, and don't judge themselves based on other people's opinions—the people who haven't let themselves loose of the glue—are called nerds, geeks, dorks. Be proud of yourself if you're one of them.

The only way to know if you have a good friend is to see if he or she is like those people. Otherwise, they won't stick up for you. You won't have a supporter. Or rather, you won't have someone to trust.

If you know who you are, be proud of yourself. Those people who are stuck in hysteria's glue think they aren't good enough. Obsessed with one thing, usually looks, they'll do anything to accomplish their selfish goal. Plastic surgery is a must. Who cares about the fact that I'll have bits of plastic inside me, they say, if people like me better?

What matters is that the right people like you better. Instead of focusing on looks or money, focus on what matters. You should know that by now, if you're reading this.

People are considered cool, sometimes, if they do something bad. Steal something from Wal-Mart, spray-paint a neighbor's house, punch someone innocent in the nose for no reason. The people who consider these people cool aren't worth being friends with.

Don't change yourself; it just isn't worth it.

A commercial runs over and over again on the television. My eyes hurt to a huge extent. I run into my room, crash on the bed, hoping never to see that advertisement again. I hate it.

.::THE NEXT MORNING::.

I get up. I go to school. People in the hallways, more people.

"Hey, did you see that commercial last night?"

"Yeah, it was so cool! It had lip-gloss on it! Let's go buy some even though it's incredibly expensive and is completely useless!"

"Hey, you. You don't like lip gloss! Let's shun you!"

People start shunning me for the absurd reason that I despise lip gloss.

"This is great fun, isn't it?" I think.

"Oh, yes, even more fun than watching that commercial," the voices in my head reply.

.::THE END::.

(That was like an example of what I was talking about, but greatly exaggerated to add a slight comedic element.)

Thank you for reading!

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.